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Managing psychological health and safety in the workplace is as important as managing physical health and safety.
As an employer, it’s your responsibility to address psychological health and safety and the factors that are within the control, responsibility, or influence of the workplace.
Workplaces with a focus on both physical and psychological health and safety experience stronger employee engagement, greater productivity, and decreased turnover. Workers experience less conflict and higher morale, and are more committed to ensuring the health and safety of their workplace.
Spot and prevent psychological hazards
Behaviours that can lead to psychological harm in the workplace include bullying, harassment, and threats of violence. These can take many forms, including verbal aggression, personal attacks, and other intimidating or humiliating behaviours. If workplace psychological hazards are not addressed, they can lead to anxiety, depression, and lost productivity.
Manage psychological health and safety
Managing risks in the workplace involves thinking about what might cause harm to workers and determining what steps are needed to prevent that harm.
You can manage psychological health and safety using the approach for managing risks to physical health and safety: understand risks, implement control measures, communicate safety information, and monitor control measures to ensure they are effective.
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Show leadership commitment
Demonstrate your commitment to psychological health and safety. For example, create a policy on psychological health and safety for your organization. Provide training that equips managers and supervisors with the skills to recognize and address the psychological health and safety needs of workers.
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Develop supportive managers and supervisors
Managers and supervisors often have the most influence in shaping workplace culture. They can help ensure that all levels embrace your organization’s approach to psychological health and safety.
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Encourage worker participation
Workers can help to shape a psychologically healthy and safe workplace culture by actively participating in programs and initiatives. Give your workers opportunities to provide feedback to your managers and leaders, so they see that their psychological health and safety is prioritized.
Learn more
- Managing psychological health & safety (webpage)
- Bullying & harassment (webpage)
- Planning for health & safety (webpage)
- Engaging your workers in health & safety (webpage)
- My health & safety resources tool (interactive resource finder)
- Creating a Key Risk Inventory for Your Workplace: Engaging Your Workers to Help Manage Risks (guide)
- Managing risk (webpage)